Page 103 of Married to Lies

“I’ll check with her....” She picked up her phone at the same time I got mine out. “Yes, I’ll send her back.”

The receptionist looked annoyed that I'd gotten in without an appointment—she clearly didn’t know how much I spent here on my retainer alone.

I hurried back to Darla’s office, finding her getting up from her desk and walking toward me on sky-high heels. “Hi, sugar,” she said with a bright smile. “What can I do for you, darling?”

Once she shut the door to her office so we’d have some privacy, I rushed out, “I need to find a way to get Conrad out of my company, like yesterday.”

Unfazed, she said, “I’ll create the termination paperwork now and have it ready for you tomorrow morning. Would you like to offer a severance package?”

“Absolutely not.” Just the thought of giving him any more money made me want to puke. “He’s threatening to tell the press about my past if I don’t plant this in Quentin’s office tomorrow.” I slapped the manila folder on her desk.

Her blue eyes flared wide. “What?” She picked up the folder, flipping through the pages inside. “I’ll also prepare a civil complaint to remind him what he’s risking if he goes public. That will take a little longer, but since I’m guessing he doesn’t have deep pockets, just the threat of a legal battle could be enough to call his bluff.”

My heart jumped to my throat at the thought of a legal battle. After all, that’s what led my mentor’s company to bankruptcy. But I couldn’t just let myself or my husband continue to be attacked this way. “Where are my other liabilities?” I asked. “Can my clients try to get out of their contracts if the news does leak? Now that I’m married to Quentin, there are a lot of eyes on me.”

She frowned. “I’ll have to review your contracts to be sure, but off the top of my head, those contracts are written to protect you. You should be solid. Let’s focus on getting him out first.”

I dropped into one of her chairs and rubbed my temples to ward off the pressure there. “This is such a mess.”

“Rei, we’ll get through this,” she said. “It might not be pretty, but you can’t be a shark without expecting a little blood in the water.”

I huffed out a bitter laugh. “You’re the shark. I’m just a bucket of chum.”

“Trust me, babe. Anyone who can mastermind a business without being discovered, like you have for years, is most definitely a shark.”

I tried to believe her. “Thanks, Darla.”

“I’ll prepare the paperwork ASAP to get Conrad out and have it in your email tomorrow evening. You want to resume business as usual as much as possible, so we don’t tip off Conrad before we have this complaint ready to go.”

Nausea threatened. “Tomorrow evening?”

Sympathy filled her eyes. “I know this is hard, but it takes time to do this type of work, even though it is my top priority. You’re strong, Rei. We’ll get Conrad out of your business and protect Quentin’s name, I promise.”

I nodded, hearing what she hadn’t said loud and clear.

We could fire Conrad.

I could shred the documents meant to incriminate Quentin for a crime he didn’t commit.

But my name was going to come out, one way or another.

I just hoped I was able to tell my husband first.

47 Jude

After hours of “team bonding” activities, we finally had a free evening. Cruz and Bryce were at the dining room table, having a rematch for the game of chess they played on the plane. Quentin sat in the living room, reading a book from one of the shelves, and Aaric was out snowshoeing the property before it got too dark.

Simon was upstairs resting, which meant Aleyna was alone.

I showered in my bedroom, putting on cologne, sweats that slung low on my hips, and a shirt that showed my toned arms. Then I padded down the hallway and up the stairs toward the upper level where Aleyna and Simon were staying.

Passing by one room, I heard Simon snoring deeply. The door to the next room was open. Aleyna lay in bed, a silk bonnet over her hair, and a mask painting her face in red light. Blankets and pillows were tucked around her in a nest while a movie played on the TV. Something violent from the sound of it.

I knocked softly on the doorframe and leaned against it, waiting for her response.

She looked over at me, then quickly tugged off her mask and bonnet. “Jude... I wasn’t expecting you.”

Without the mask, her face was bare, and I realized it was the first time I’d seen her without makeup. Without the glamour and designer clothes, she looked smaller somehow.